Podcast Summary: "Good Follow – What Is Going On Between Angel Reese And Chicago? Could Caitlin Clark Be Unrivaled? & More"

Podcast: The Dan Le Batard Show with Stugotz
Episode Title: Good Follow – What Is Going On Between Angel Reese And Chicago? Could Caitlin Clark Be Unrivaled? & More
Release Date: September 9, 2025
Hosts: Roz Gold-Onwude (Roz), Angel McCoughtry
(Note: Dan Le Batard and Stugotz are not present in this segment. Focus is on Roz and Angel.)

Episode Overview

This episode of "Good Follow" – a segment within The Dan Le Batard Show network – dives into the swirling controversy involving Angel Reese and the Chicago Sky, explores the meteoric rise of the women’s basketball league Unrivaled, and speculates about Caitlin Clark’s future in professional women’s basketball. Roz Gold-Onwude and Angel McCoughtry candidly unpack locker room drama, player responsibilities, league dynamics, and the broader growth of women’s sports in a lively, insightful conversation.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Angel Reese vs. Chicago Sky: Breaking Down the Drama

(Starts ~05:56)

• Background & The Article

  • Angel Reese publicly expresses frustration with the Chicago Sky organization, stating:
    "I'm not settling for the same we did last year. We have to get good players. We have to get great players. That's non negotiable for me." (05:56)
  • Reese specifically questions counting on veteran Courtney Vandersloot to return, referencing her age and injury status.

• Teammate & Public Responses

  • Courtney Vandersloot responds:
    "Contrary to what people say or think, my age is actually not a factor. I'm coming back." (Referenced ~06:00)
  • Ali Quigley (Vandersloot’s wife): posts Sloot’s accolades on Instagram, captioned “friendly reminder.”
  • Rachel Banham:
    "I think I just don't really care. I'm so over all of this. If I was younger, it would have affected me more. But I'm grown and I just don't care." (05:56)
  • Ariel Atkins: Supports ownership’s disciplinary response, even after previously defending Reese.

Angel McCoughtry’s Perspective

• Calls for patience and perspective:
  "Have you ever had a losing season? ...We all have to go through those steps sometimes. But here's the main thing. You're not the only one having a bad season. Your teammates are having a bad season too. ...It's how you say it." (06:26)
• Critiques Reese’s delivery, not the substance:
  "Sure, she can deliver. I'm all about saying what you feel... but it's just how we say it." (08:06)
• Urges Reese to consider her position relative to teammates with less exposure and earning power.

Roz Gold-Onwude’s Analysis

• Supports need for franchise improvement, but stresses need for "nuance":
  "You are a second year player. There is a nuance about how you need to speak about someone that great even if they're at that towards more of the latter part of their career. And I felt she was missing the respect factor there." (10:04)
• Emphasizes unprecedented spotlight on Reese and her youth:
  "This is a 23-year-old ...in unprecedented shoes. Like, unprecedented attention." (08:57)
• Notes organizational missteps as well, like practice facility delays hampering team building and recruitment.

2. Team Dynamics: Locker Room Weaknesses & Management Response

(Starts ~15:04)

• McCoughtry notes players should keep issues in-house:
  "What happens behind closed doors stays behind closed doors. That was a lot of issues when I played ...but you wouldn't really know it. ...Stay professional and keep your stuff behind closed doors." (15:04)
• Both discuss lack of veteran leadership and cohesiveness:
  "You don't win championships with all young. You don't win championships with all old. You mix a combination of vets and young..." (15:53)
• Roz highlights escalation by management:
  • Publicly suspending Reese for "half a game" and releasing statements took matters further into public view.
  • Roz questions the logic:
    "What is the point of the half game? ...It felt performative." (17:48, 17:54)

3. Angel Reese’s Apology & Ongoing Turmoil

(Starts ~18:59)

• Reese apologizes publicly:
  "I didn't intentionally mean to put my teammates down. I want to apologize to my teammates for the article and how it was misconstrued." (16:26)
• McCoughtry and Roz agree the issue should have been resolved internally.
• The aftermath:
  • Additional absence explained as due to "back injury," which hosts infer may not be as straightforward as stated.
    "He said she, like, it sounded like he threw her under the bus. Little like, she reported this to us before the game. Like, he don't believe in the injury." – Roz (19:28)

4. The Business Side: Facilities, Star Salaries, and Franchise Stability

(~12:17, 20:53)

• Chicago’s organizational instability called out by both hosts.
• Roz:
  "It's valid to have concern about any 37 year old coming back from ACL injury, full stop, period." (11:55)
• Discussion of player exodus and organization failing to support or retain stars, referencing departures like Sylvia Fowles, Elena Delle Donne, etc.

5. Leadership Lessons & Star Responsibilities

(Starts ~21:16)

• Clip of Reese on learning self-care and setting boundaries:
  "I had to learn to put myself first...I have to prioritize myself. And when everybody else wants me out there, I can't do that." (21:16)
• McCoughtry on leadership language:
  "We got to work on just how we deliver. ...Call me, call Roz. ...We'll tell you how to phrase this stuff..." (21:19, 21:50)
• Roz:
  "There's certain responsibilities...that you absolutely have the agency to decide I'm gonna take on or not. I think Angel's capable of taking it on." (23:08–23:53)
• Both agree: Reese made a mistake in delivery, but is young and capable of growth.
  "Let it go. Let her learn from this and learn how to be a good leader." – McCoughtry (23:56)

6. Unrivaled: The Explosive Growth of a New League

(Begins ~26:09)

• Unrivaled league valued at $340 million after 10x jump since last year – "the highest average salary in professional women’s sports and provides average equity to its players." (27:33–27:49)
• Stars like Paige Bueckers signed on, and the league is adding bigger venues and capacity.
• Roz wonders if Caitlin Clark, now out for the WNBA season due to injury, could join Unrivaled.
• McCoughtry notes:
  "Everybody wants to see Unrivaled in the offseason. ...It's just a win win, man." (28:02)

Notable Quotes (with Timestamps & Attribution)

• Angel McCoughtry:
  "It's not how we say. It's how we deliver it. ...As a leader, what you do, you go to the front office...That's how you do it, Angel, for the future." (06:26)

  "To the young players, we don't mention age to us legends. ...We know we getting older. ...You respect your legends as they are and that's what you gotta do." (10:47)

  "You don't win championships with all young. You don't win championships with all old. You mix a combination of vets and young..." (15:53)

• Roz Gold-Onwude:
  "You are a second year player. There is a nuance about how you need to speak about someone that great...She has literally delivered...the Chicago Sky a championship." (10:04)

  "This is a 23-year-old... in unprecedented shoes. ...We haven't even seen anything quite like this." (08:57, 09:04)

  "It felt performative. ...I feel like the punishment didn't fit the crime. ...This should have been handled in house and move forward..." (17:54)

  "There's certain responsibilities...you absolutely have the agency to decide I'm gonna take on or not. I think Angel's...capable of taking it on." (23:08–23:53)

• Rachel Banham [quoted]:
  "I think I just don't really care. I'm so over all of this. If I was younger, it would have affected me more. But I'm grown and I just don't care." (05:56)

Key Timestamps & Segments

• 05:56 – Roz breaks down the Angel Reese vs. Chicago Sky drama and player reactions.
• 06:26–08:48 – Angel and Roz on leadership, messaging, and perspective for young stars.
• 10:04–11:15 – Respect for veterans, calling out legends, and learning from missteps.
• 11:29–12:41 – Angel Reese’s performance and valid criticism of franchise support.
• 15:04–16:26 – Locker room dynamics, need for professionalism, and organizational responsibility.
• 17:14–18:57 – Half-game suspension drama and hosts critique the public handling by Chicago Sky management.
• 19:23–20:53 – Ongoing injury narrative and questions about transparency.
• 21:16–23:08 – Clip of Angel Reese on prioritizing herself and hosts discuss public messaging for team stars.
• 26:09–28:53 – Explosive growth of Unrivaled women’s basketball league, financials, and speculation about Caitlin Clark’s future.

Memorable Moments

• Angel McCoughtry’s advice as Reese’s “big sis from Baltimore” (06:26): Balancing patience, leadership, and delivery for young stars.
• Both hosts mock the “half-game” suspension (17:14):
  "If I'm a 22-year-old and I'm suspended for half game, I'm coming out halftime...In halftime, I'm text texting on the phone, in the locker. What are we doing?" – McCoughtry
• Unfiltered challenge to ownership (15:53):
  "Y’all put the money out, but y’all gotta learn basketball. ...You mix a combination of vets and young..." – McCoughtry
• The potential for Caitlin Clark at Unrivaled (28:41): Both hosts excited for the business and visibility boom if Clark joins the league.

Tone and Style

Lively, unfiltered, candid, with big-sister mentorship and expertise. Roz offers analysis with empathy and level-headedness. Angel mixes humor and wisdom, sharing personal anecdotes as a retired WNBA legend who has seen the highs and lows.

Summary for New Listeners

This episode unpacks one of the WNBA’s most talked-about locker room dramas, delivers hard-earned lessons on leadership and communication, critiques franchise mismanagement, and celebrates the unprecedented rise of women’s basketball off the court. Newcomers will appreciate the balance of spirited banter, player advocacy, humor, and direct insider advice—especially for young athletes and sports fans interested in the human and business sides of team sports.